Spring Break
Steelers and Cardinals set for showdown in Tampa Bay
Hart Holloman
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: Sports
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The general consensus I've gotten from talking to my friends this week, some who know about sports and some who don't, is that Pittsburgh is a lock to win the Super Bowl. They keep telling me that the Steelers' defense will swallow the Cardinals' offense whole and Big Ben Roethlisberger will make enough plays on third down against the "weak" (I think underrated) Arizona defense to win the game. I'm still not convinced.
I keep looking at the stats comparison and match-ups and it just continues to look more and more like the Cardinals have the edge. People are overlooking the Cardinals just because they are the Cardinals. And although their late-season slump (they only won three out of their last seven regular season games) didn't necessarily show the kind of focus and closing ability you normally see in a Super Bowl champion, they have been the best team in the playoffs so far.
Arizona is the only team to score 30 or more points in each game they've played in the postseason. Say what you want about the defenses they have gone up against, but dropping 30 on three playoff teams in a row is something you have to take into account. But I think what everyone wants to find out is if they can score enough points against the top ranked defense in the league. I think they can.
As much as Pittsburgh's defense has dominated teams this season, they haven't necessarily fared well against teams with sophisticated passing attacks. They lost to the Eagles and pass-happy Andy Reid in week three and were also clipped by the Colts in week 10. Pittsburgh's secondary can be, and has been, exposed this season.
The Steelers' pass defense is contingent on their ability to pressure the quarterback into making mistakes. Kurt Warner faced every blitz package the Eagles, who I believe are the best blitzing team in the league, had in the NFC championship game, and he kept getting the ball out on time and on target.
Pittsburgh also has match-up problems on defense. What are they going to do against a healthy Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and company? I expect Pittsburgh to come out in their 3-4 defense and get passed on all over the field. They just don't have the secondary depth to keep up. Troy Polamalu can only give help to one side of the field, and you can guarantee the experienced Warner will know exactly where that is. Meanwhile, Warner's ability to read the blitz and get the ball out quickly to the hot route will neutralize and frustrate Pittsburgh's Defensive Player of the Year and pass rushing outside linebacker, James Harrison.
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